Students petition legislators to maintain lottery tuition assistance

Published: Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at 6:06 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at 6:06 p.m.

Hundreds of students from across South Carolina gathered in Columbia Tuesday to thank legislators for their support of Lottery Tuition Assistance, and to ask them to ensure its continuity.

Joy Baine of Duncan was one of the participants recognized in the South Carolina House of Representatives. A second-semester certified nursing assistant student at Spartanburg Community College, Baine said her schooling wouldn't be possible without lottery assistance.

In 2010, Baine was laid off from her job as a medical transcriptionist. Upgraded technology decreased the demand for her expertise, she said. Despite her experience and certification as a surgical technician, she was unable to find employment.

“I looked for over a year for a job and was at the end of my rope. I thought I was going to retire,” she said.

A flyer from SCC caught her attention and at 50 years old, she decided to investigate pursuing her long-time interest in nursing. Lottery tuition assistance relieved her final obstacle.

“If it didn't exist there's no way I would've gone back to school. With me out of work, we couldn't have afforded it,” she said. “It helps tremendously, it really does.”

Many of the students at Tuesday's annual Lottery Tuition Assistance Rally had similar stories. Last year, 40,000 students in South Carolina's technical college system received $49.5 million in lottery tuition assistance. Since the program started in 2002, 350,000 individuals have received allocations.

Every year, lottery tuition assistance allocations have to be approved by legislators and despite the state's financial turmoil, they have continued to approve, and last year even increase, the award.

“They have always funded us and we want to show our appreciation and remind them we need it again this year,” said Kelly Steinhilper, vice president of communications for SC Technical College System.

In 2012-2013, the state legislature increased the lottery tuition assistance allocation from $47 million to $49.5 million. Steinhilper said the SC Technical College System is asking legislators to maintain the $49.5 million allocation because it allows individual grants to remain above $1,000, therefore covering most of a student's tuition bill.

Gov. Nikki Haley's budget proposal, however, would trim the allocation back to $47 million.

“Education is at the forefront of everything. All these students graduate high school counting on that money. We need to keep that in place and find the money for what she wants to do elsewhere,” he said.

During the rally, Reese's sentiments were also voiced by speakers Sen. Vincent Sheheen, D-Kershaw, and Rep. Phil Owens, R-Pickens.

“Please be assured providing adequate funding for lottery tuition assistance is a priority for myself, Sen. Sheheen and other legislators,” Owens said.

The maximum lottery tuition assistance allocation in 2012-2013 was $1,140. At SCC, the full-time tuition is $1,860, so even if a student doesn't receive any Pell Grant assistance, their tuition is about two-thirds paid, said SCC President Henry Giles. About 31 percent of SCC's students receive lottery tuition assistance, about 51 percent receive Pell Grant money and there is some overlap in the two groups.

Since 2008, Giles estimated SCC's student population has increased about 20 percent and over the same amount of time they have lost 50 percent of their state funding. To stay afloat, the college has shifted a greater burden onto students, increasing the tuition about $250 each semester.

Changes to the Pell Grant and lottery tuition assistance have been able to defray some of that increased cost to SCC students, but not entirely, Giles said.

“We are still dealing with a lot of students whose families don't have the money for them to go to college,” he said. “So any dollar or two really does make a difference to their education. To lose any, to lose 10 percent, of their funds would be significant.”

<p>Hundreds of students from across South Carolina gathered in Columbia Tuesday to thank legislators for their support of Lottery Tuition Assistance, and to ask them to ensure its continuity.</p><p>Joy Baine of Duncan was one of the participants recognized in the South Carolina House of Representatives. A second-semester certified nursing assistant student at Spartanburg Community College, Baine said her schooling wouldn't be possible without lottery assistance.</p><p>In 2010, Baine was laid off from her job as a medical transcriptionist. Upgraded technology decreased the demand for her expertise, she said. Despite her experience and certification as a surgical technician, she was unable to find employment.</p><p>“I looked for over a year for a job and was at the end of my rope. I thought I was going to retire,” she said.</p><p>A flyer from SCC caught her attention and at 50 years old, she decided to investigate pursuing her long-time interest in nursing. Lottery tuition assistance relieved her final obstacle.</p><p>“If it didn't exist there's no way I would've gone back to school. With me out of work, we couldn't have afforded it,” she said. “It helps tremendously, it really does.”</p><p>Many of the students at Tuesday's annual Lottery Tuition Assistance Rally had similar stories. Last year, 40,000 students in South Carolina's technical college system received $49.5 million in lottery tuition assistance. Since the program started in 2002, 350,000 individuals have received allocations.</p><p>Every year, lottery tuition assistance allocations have to be approved by legislators and despite the state's financial turmoil, they have continued to approve, and last year even increase, the award.</p><p>“They have always funded us and we want to show our appreciation and remind them we need it again this year,” said Kelly Steinhilper, vice president of communications for SC Technical College System.</p><p>In 2012-2013, the state legislature increased the lottery tuition assistance allocation from $47 million to $49.5 million. Steinhilper said the SC Technical College System is asking legislators to maintain the $49.5 million allocation because it allows individual grants to remain above $1,000, therefore covering most of a student's tuition bill.</p><p>Gov. Nikki Haley's budget proposal, however, would trim the allocation back to $47 million.</p><p>Sen. Glenn Reese, D-Spartanburg, said decreasing lottery tuition assistance was unacceptable.</p><p>“Education is at the forefront of everything. All these students graduate high school counting on that money. We need to keep that in place and find the money for what she wants to do elsewhere,” he said.</p><p>During the rally, Reese's sentiments were also voiced by speakers Sen. Vincent Sheheen, D-Kershaw, and Rep. Phil Owens, R-Pickens.</p><p>“Please be assured providing adequate funding for lottery tuition assistance is a priority for myself, Sen. Sheheen and other legislators,” Owens said.</p><p>The maximum lottery tuition assistance allocation in 2012-2013 was $1,140. At SCC, the full-time tuition is $1,860, so even if a student doesn't receive any Pell Grant assistance, their tuition is about two-thirds paid, said SCC President Henry Giles. About 31 percent of SCC's students receive lottery tuition assistance, about 51 percent receive Pell Grant money and there is some overlap in the two groups.</p><p>Since 2008, Giles estimated SCC's student population has increased about 20 percent and over the same amount of time they have lost 50 percent of their state funding. To stay afloat, the college has shifted a greater burden onto students, increasing the tuition about $250 each semester.</p><p>Changes to the Pell Grant and lottery tuition assistance have been able to defray some of that increased cost to SCC students, but not entirely, Giles said.</p><p>“We are still dealing with a lot of students whose families don't have the money for them to go to college,” he said. “So any dollar or two really does make a difference to their education. To lose any, to lose 10 percent, of their funds would be significant.”</p>